KEENE, N.H. 2/23/05 - Is this the year the Keene State College women's basketball team finally reaches the Little East Conference finals?

Owl coach Keith Boucher hopes so. "We're playing with a lot of confidence right now," he said. "If we continue to execute our game plan, there's no reason why we can't make it."

The third-seeded Owls (16-10) will face second seed Eastern Conn. (17-9) in the first of two LEC semifinal games at the University of Southern Maine on Friday night (6 p.m.). The top seeded Huskies (24-2), who have won 15 LEC Championships, including the last eight, will take on fourth seed R.I. College (11-15) in the other semifinal match-up (8 p.m.). The winners will play in the championship game on Saturday (4 p.m.).

It is the fourth time KSC has advanced to the semifinal round since joining the LEC in the 1997-98 season. USM knocked the Owls out twice (2003, 2002) and Western Conn. sent KSC home in 1999. No stranger to the LEC finals, ECSU has played in 10 championship games, winning the title in 1996 and 1992.

The Owls moved on to the semis after defeating sixth-seed Plymouth State 68-75 on Tuesday night. Sophomore guard Bri Barnes (Merrimack, N.H.) had a career-high 29 points, hitting six-of-nine three-point attempts, to lead the way.

"Bri was on another planet," said Boucher. "But we need a contribution from everyone on the court."

"I'm concerned about our free throw shooting and our rebounding," he added. "You can't give good teams multiple opportunities. Eastern Conn. has been there before, so we have to be on top of our game."

Eastern Conn. moved into the semifinals after a 71-52 victory over seventh seed Western. Conn. The Warriors were led by senior guard Sarah McDonald who posted a double-double with 15 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. She also had eight assists in the game. Keene State has met ECSU just twice in LEC Tournament play, both times in the first round. The Warriors defeated the Owls 69-45 in 1998. In 1999, the sixth seeded Owls upset the third-seeded Warriors 54-51 on a last second three-point shot by Carrie Trudeau in a game played in Willimantic.

KSC and ECSU split their two regular season games this year. The Warriors prevailed 78-64 in Willimantic while the Owls ended a nine game losing streak against ECSU with a 64-61 win over the Warriors last week at Spaulding Gym.